Incendiary projectile



June 25, 1946. c. w. GALEN 2,

INCENDIARY- PR OJECTILE Filed 001:. 23, 1941 Patented June 25, 1946 INCENDIARY PROJECTILE Clarence W. Galen, Battle Creek, Mich, assignor to The Duplex Printing Press Company, Battle Creek, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application October 23, 1941, Serial No. 416,271

11 Claims. 1

This invention is a novel improvement in projectiles, and one object thereof is to provide a novel projectile containing an oxygen releasing substance, said projectile being so constructed and designed that upon impact against objects, same Will burn its way therethrough, spraying hot molten metal upon partial penetration thereof and causing severe concussion particularly in event the sprayed molten metal should come in contact with oil such as derived from broken oil tanks or bunkers, or with oil derived from broken crank cases of engines or the like.

Another object is to provide a novel projectile comprising essentially, a projectile-shaped chamber containing a quantity of compressed oxygen, or oxygen releasing substance such as chlorate ,of potassium which decomposes upon application of heat to release free oxygen, said chamber being disposed adjacent the projectile nose, whereby when the projectile strikes the object, the intense heat developed by reason of the impact and resulting deformation of the projectile nose melts the front end of the oxygen chamber, releasing the oxygen which combines immediately with the material of the object causing the projectile to blow its way into or through the object; an thus the projectile will penetrate the object not only due to the initial firing force of its discharge, but also due to the combined force of the liberated oxygen, the final action of said released oxygen, after the projectile has penetrated nearly through the object after initial impact serving to blow hot metal through and beyond the object.

Another object of the invention is to provide a projectile of the above type, having at its nose an additional chamber separated by a wall from the oxygen chamber, the additional chamber being disposed between the nose and oxygen chamber, and containing a material such as Thermit which is the trade name for a mixture of finely divided aluminum and iron oxide, which mixture upon reaction produces about one-half its weight of superheated molten steel and about one-half of molten alumina slag, both at a temperature of.

5000 F. Thus the Thermit will initially be ignited, upon impact of the projectile, at a temperature much lower than that required for melting steel; and thus the heat generated by the impact of the projectile on the object will first ignite the Thermit charge, which in turn will generate an intense heat of about 5000 F. serving to melt the nose of the projectile and the wall which separates the Thermit chamber from the oxygen chamber, thereby insuring that-the oxygen will be released, particularly when the projectile 1f"; terial of the object as rapidly as possible, such does nothave a sufficiently high velocity'to cause a high temperature to be developed at the nose upon impact, or in event the impact should occur under water such as in case the projectile-is in the form of, or used as, a torpedo. i

A further object of the inventionv is to provide a projectile of the above type provided with separate oxygen and; Thermit" l chambers, means being provided for positively igniting the :Thermit charge upon impact, saidmeans comprising a plunger disposed in the nose of the'projectile and extending beyond the tip thereof, said plunger operating a combustion cap in the Thermit chamber at the moment the noseof the projectile strikes the object, theignited *Thermit charge serving to melt the nose o'f'the projectile and the wallseparating the Thermit chamber from the oxygen chamber so that the released oxygen will combine with the molten steel of the nose .of the projectile and adjacent parts of the object, allowing the projectile tolenter or pierce the object the manner previously described, the useof-the plunger being particularly useful in event the. projectile is intended to impact ,an object under.

water, or under other conditions tending to lower the temperature caused by the impact.

I will explain the invention with reference. to the accompanying drawing which illustrates sev-. eral practical embodiments thereof, to enable others vfamiliar with thelart to adopt and use the same; and will summarize in the claims, the novel,

features of constructionand novel combinations of parts, for which protection is desired.

In said drawingz,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal. section through one;

form of projectile constructed in accordance with my invention Fig. 2 is a' longitudinal section through a modified form thereof. 7 ,c 1 Fig;3 is a longitudinal section through a fur-,

other modification thereof.

In Fig. 1, the projectile consists of a cynndricai stance ,or compound which will release, oxygen,

when heated, to combine with the hot;:molten.: metalof the projectile .nose 2 and with" the maa chlorate of potassium which decomposes upon application of heat to release free oxygen. However, the use of oxygen compressed in a gaseous state up to 2000 pounds per square inch is preferable since same furnishes a maximum amount of oxygen, when released, than any other substance or compound.

When'the projectile is discharged-fromthe gun and strikesan object, the intense heat caused by the impact at high velocity and the deformation of nose 2, melts the front end of shell I, thereby releasing the oxygen which combines with the molten metal of the nose and the material of the adjacent parts of the object, thus allowing the projectile to penetrate the objectb'y the initial force imparted to it when fired, augmented by the explosive force of the compressed oxygen, the action of the oxygen after the projectile has partly penetrated through the object being -to blow the hot metal through and beyond the object, thus facilitating the progress of the projectile in boring its way through the object. Moreover, upon penetration, the sprayed molten metal will cause severe concussion in event the hot metal comes in contact with oil such as derived from oil tanks or bunkers, or from engine crank cases or the like.

In Fig. 2 a amodification is shown in which the projectile consists -of a shell I0 of cylindrical shape internally threaded at its rear end, as at I I, to:receive plate 1|2 which is externally threaded .as at t3 to engage :threads H, the plate l2 also having a filling plug :14 similar to plug '5 shown in Fig. 1. The forward end of projectile is contracted into the usual shape but the forward The forward chamber, formed by the recesses 2| v and I1, is filled with a material 22 such as Thermi t which is the trade name for a mixture of finely divided aluminum and iron oxide which upon reaction produces about one-half its weight of superheated molten'steel and one-half molten alumina slag -both at a temperature of 5000 which I -hermit will be ignited at a temperature much lower than that required for melting steel, while the larger chamber at the rear portion of shell 10 -is filled with compressed oxygen 23 or other-oxygen releasing substance or compound as previously described, which oxygen releasing material is inserted into the shell 10 either through the plug I4 in the plate I 2 or through a threaded plug 24 in the side of shell l0 adjacent but in rear oft-the partition i8.

The operation of the shell shown in Fig. 2 isin :general's'i-mi-lar to that above described in connection with Fig. 1. Upon impact of the shell with the object, the nose I9 is deformed and the heat generated by impact and deformat'ionignites the Thermit 22 which generates a heat of about 5000" F. The use of the "Thermit is to insure the release of the oxygen especially in event the projectile does not have a high velocity necessary to cause high temperature'upon impact; or in event the impact is intended to occur under water, such as in the case of atorpedo-type projectile; or in event the impact is efiected under conditions tending to lower,

beyond the object.

4 the temperature caused by the impact. This intense heat melts the cap I9 and the forward end of the shell I9, also the partition I8 between the Thermit chamber and the oxygenchamber, thereby releasing the oxygen 23 which combines with the material of the object, blowing its way into or through the object. Thus the projectile will effect penetration by the force imparted initially to it when it was fired from the gun, augmented by the expansive force of the compressed oxygen, the action of which oxygen, after the projectile has penetrated partly through the object, being to blow hot metal entirely through and The sprayed molten metal moreover will cause severe concussion when contacting any oil.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3, the projectile is in general similar to that shown and described in connection with Fig. 2, and like parts are similarly lettered. In this modification however a plunger and combustion cap is usedto positively ignite .the Th'ermit 22 upon impact inevent the projectileis'intended to impact under water or under conditions tending to lower the temperature caused by the impact. In thismodification, the cap 19 is provided with a reduced axial bore 25 communicating withthe bore 2 l, and a plunger 26 extends through bore 25 beyond the nose of the projectile and:also-extends rearwardly through recess 2| 'and into the Thermit charge in recess H, the inner end of plunger 26 contacting a combustion cap Z-T disposed axially of the recess I! and seating against the 'wall l8 of the shell l0. Thus when-the projectile contacts the object, the Thermit will be positively ignited, generating a heat :of about 5000-F which heat augmented by that due tothe impact melts the forward end of the shell l 0-and-thepartition-l8 between the Thermit chamber and oxygen chamber. The released oxygen then combines with the material of the object and blows its way into or'throu'ghiit by the force impartedto it when fired plus the explosive force of the compressed oxygen, the action of the oxygen after the shell has penetrated 'p'artly-throughthe object, being to blow hot metal entirely through and beyond the object.

By the above construction}. provide a projectile which serves several purposes, namely, to burn its Way through the object, to spray -hot metal on partial penetration, and to cause severe concussion when the shell sprays the hot metal-and the oxygen in the presenceofoiI, such as that which may be spread from broken oil tanks or from crank cases of engines-Q'r'the like,

I do not limit -m in-vention to the exactiorms shownin the drawing, for obviously changes may be made therein within the scope of the claims. Moreover, my invention might be used'in connectionwith projectiles having explosive-actions, but

invention after penetration, will have fully as much destructive effect as 'if the projectile carried an explosive charge,'especially if the released sprayed oxygen should contact free oily substance, as above stated.

I claim:

1. A projectile consisting of a hollow metallic shell having a pointed nose and a'closed rear end; a partition Wall within the shell dividing the interior thereof into front and rear chambers; -a

7e71+high oxygen releasi-ngsubstance filling therear chamber adapted upon impact with a target to combine under heat generated by impact with the combustible substances of the target; and a substance filling the front chamber having a substantially lower ignition point than the melting point of steel and adapted when burning to develop intense heat.

2. In a projectile as set forth in claim 1, said substance in the front chamber comprising a mixture including finely divided aluminum and iron oxide.

3. In a projectile as set forth in claim 1, said oxygen releasing substance comprising compressed oxygen.

1. In a projectile as set forth in claim 1, said oxygen releasing substanc comprising chlorate of potassium.

5. In a projectile as set forth in claim 1, the front end of the shell being blunt and having a recess; and a cap having a pointed nose removably mounted on the blunt end of the shell permitting, when removed, access to the recess, said cap having a second recess communicating with the first mentioned recess; the two said recesses together forming the front chamber.

6. A projectile consisting of a hollow metallic shell having a pointed nose and a closed rear end; a partition wall within the shell dividing the interior thereof into front and rear chambers; a high oxygen releasing substance filling the rear chamber and adapted upon impact with a target to combine under heat generated by the impact with the combustible substances of the target; a substance filling the front chamber having a substantially lower ignition point than the melting point of steel and adapted when burning to develop intense heat; and means for positively igniting the substance in the front chamber by impact.

'7. In a projectile as set forth in claim 6, said igniting means comprising a plunger extending through a bore in the nose and projecting beyond the tip thereof and terminating within the front chamber; and a detonator within the front chamber seating against said wall and being engaged by said plunger.

8. In a projectile as set forth in claim 6, said substance in the first chamber comprising Thermit.

9. A projectile consisting of a hollow metallic shell having a pointed nose and a closed rear end; a partition wall within the shell dividing the interior thereof into front and rear chambers; a high oxygen releasing substance filling the rear chamber; a substance fillin the front chamber having a substantially lower ignition point than the melting point of steel and adapted when burnin to develop intense heat; and means for positively igniting the substance in the front chamber by impact, said oxygen releasing substance comprising compressed oxygen.

10. A projectile consistingof a hollow metallic cylindrical shell having a blunt nose and having a closed rear end forming a chamber; a high oxygen releasing substance filling said chamber and adapted upon impact with a target to combine under heat generated by the impact with the combustible substances of the target; the blunt end of the shell having a threaded recess; a cap having a pointed nose and having a threaded shank threaded into said recess, said cap permitting, when removed, access to the recess, said cap having a second recess communicating with the first mentioned recess; the two said recesses together forming a second chamber; and a substance having a substantially lower ignition point than the melting point of steel and adapted when burning to develop intense heat, filling the second chamber.

11. In a projectile as set forth in claim 10, a plunger extending through a bore in the cap and projecting beyond the tip thereof and terminating within the second chamber; and a detonator within the front chamber seating against said inner end of the first recess and being engaged by said plunger.

CLARENCE W. GALEN. 

